More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)

Claremont

(8km/5m SW of Kingston-upon-Thames)The earliest surviving example of *landscape gardening in Britain. Claremont broke with the previous rigid formalities of garden design in successive stages. From about 1715 *Vanbrugh and Charles Bridgeman created a garden here which was rural but still geometrical, with a turf amphitheatre and circular lake. In the 1730s *Kent gave these features a more natural outline, and later in the century Capability *Brown made further modifications as well as contributing to the design of the house (now a school) which was built in the park for a new owner, *Clive of India.